The Story Behind J. Ackerman Design

It's quite miraculous when the life that wants to be lived through us comes and finds us, no matter how far we roam.

I started my career at Gensler, working alongside world-renowned architects and designers. My focus at Gensler was creating design proposals to help the firm win new work, exposing me to their best projects from around the globe and the design principles that went into each project's success.

While in this role, I planned to persue a master's degree in interior design, but was ultimately dissuaded from that route by a number of older individuals outside of the design world. Discouraged from persuing interior design as a career, one step lead to another and I found myself in the corporate consulting world.

When I met my husband in 2020, he was living in an investment property he purchased years prior with the intention of renovating. While this century-old home had beautiful bones, the interiors were horribly mismatched and dated. The materials and color palettes did not honor the architectural style of the home, nor surrounding historic neighborhood, which I insintctually felt the need to make right.

Six months into dating, Brian and I were completing a full-scale renovation of said property, referred to as the Historic River House. While there were no shortage of complexities due to the home's age, spearheading the renovations and design gave me the confidence I needed to pursue a career in interior design.

While I have worked at high-end design firms in both Washington, DC and San Francisco, the most valuable foundation to my own design business is the seven years I spent in corporate consulting roles. I pride myself in my communication, project management, and organization - not only the beautiful and creative parts of the design process. This professional foundation allows me to provide my clients with a top-tier design experience, where they feel informed every step of the way.

Whether you are looking for design inspiration, need a thought partner, or are looking for someone to lead your own home renovation, I hope I can be a resource for you! 

- Jordan